Valve tool



June 7, 1932- J. H. MINDERMANN ET AL 1,861,973

` VALVE Tool.

Filed April' 8, 1931 INVENTORS JOHN M/NDERMANN ESQ/VK HOBL ATTORN EYS Patented .lune 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. MINDERMANN, F UNION CITY, AND FRANK HOBLER, OF WEST NEW YORK NEW JERSEY i VALVE Irooi.

Application,filed` Apr18, 1931. Serial No. 528,570.V

This invention relates to improvements in tools, and has particular reference to an implement to -be employed in seating or mounting the valve springs of internal combustion y engines.

' The mounting most commonly employed for valve springs involves the use'of a retainer which is engaged by one end of the i spring and which is keyed to the stem of the valve in such manner that the spring and retainer are adapted to be lifted by a suitable instrument for purposes of repair, such as the grinding of the valve. The. lifting of said retainer disengages the same from the split key usually employed to secure the retainer in position and, during the repair work, the sections of this key which embrace the valve stem are removed therefrom to be later refk placed when remounting the spring in its operative position. This replacement of the key upon the valve stem and subsequent engagement of the spring retainer therewith consumes considerable time in its accomplishmentfor the experienced mechanic. The usual method is to coat each section ofthe key with a layer of grease which will cause it to Vadhere to the valve stem. This adherence is, at best, insecure and care must be taken, when lowering the spring and its Vretainer toward their operative position, that the key sections are not dislodged fromthe valve stem.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties experiencedin securing the spring and its retainer in place and thereby facilitate the operation of mounting said elements. To this end, use is made of an improved tool 'which will securely hold the key sections upon the valve stem while the spring andv retainer associated therewith are being adjusted to their operative positions wherein said key engages and supports the retainer;

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofv mechanical expressions, one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing,

wherein: v

' Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away and shown in section, of a tool constructed in accordance with the invention;` Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; A Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the tool showing its application to va valve stem and indicating the position of the parts in the linal stage of the operationfof applying the sectional key to the stem just prior to lowering the spring retainer on to said key; j Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the position of the parts at an intermediate stage of the operation of the tool;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the final stage of operation, also indicated in Figure 3; .l l j o5 Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Figure l; i j Y lFigure 7` is a section on the line 7 7 of Figure 5; and Y Figure 8 is a section 0n the line 8-8 of Figure 4. n, y Y

In the embodimentillustrated, the tool is shown as comprising a handle 10 in the form of a Hat bar. Adjacent one en'd of said V handle, the same has pivoted thereon at 11 75 a pair of cooperating clamping members 12,v the outer ends of which extend'beyond the adjacent end of the handle and terininatein opposed jaws 13,'wliile the inner ends of said l members are disposed adjacentlrecesses 14 80 in the handle 10 whereby the operator vmay grip said members and exert pressure thereon to spread thejaws'l against the tension of leaf springs 15, each of which,l has one end fixed in an abutment 16 formed on said? 85 handle. Each clamping member 12 is preferably made from a strip of metalbent upon, itself, asl shown in Figures 6 to' 8, vand the underside of each jaw 13 isof greater .width than the upper side thereof to vprovide an 90 inwardly projecting portion 17 which acts as a support for one of the complemental ysections 18 of a splitl key customarily employed in securing the'spring retainer, 19 (Figure 3) 'in posi-tion. This splitV key is lillustrative of-one type Vemployed ininternal combustion engines and, when vthesameisinitsl operative position, is adapted-toembraceV the lower tapered and shouldered end V20 of thej 'f valve stem 21 and to project into a recess noy 22 in the retainer 19 corresponding in shape to that of the key. As is customary when a valve is to be ground, the retainer 19 and the spring 23 are raised by a suitable lifter 24 and during the repair work the sections 18 of the key are removed from the stem 21, to be subsequently replaced by the tool of the present invention. The first step in the operation of replacing the key to its operative position is to spread the jaws 13 to the dotted line 'positions indicated in Figure 1, whereupon the sections 18 of the key are mounted upon the supports 17 in opposed relationto each other. When in position, the clamping members 12 are released by the operator and.

under the influence of the springs 15 the jaws move inwardly toward each other to the full line' position of Figure 1, whereupon the edges of the sections 18, which abut when the key is in its embracing position upon the V stem 21, will engage a plunger member 25 slidably mounted` upon the handle 10 and guided for longitudinalmovement thereon by a pin 26 carried by said plunger and engaged in a longitudinal slot 2T formed in said handle. When the jaws are spread apart, the plunger 25 is forced to a projected position between the jaws 13 by a spring 28 coiled about the stem 29 of said plunger and engaging the abutment 16. The free end of said stem 29 is provided with a head 30 which contacts said abutment to limit the outward movement of the plunger to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein the outer extremity of the plunger extends beyond said jaws.' Thus, the sections 18 of the key are securely gripped between the plunger and jaws and are now ready to be adjusted in operative'position upon the valve stem.

To accomplish this the concaved projecting extremity 31 of the plunger 25 is engaged with the tapered lower end 20 of the valve stem and pressure exerted upon the toolin the direction of said stem to force the plunger 25 inwardly against the tension of the spring 28. This pressure is continued until the parts are in theposition shown in Figure 4, wherein the outer end of the plunger is forced inwardly between the clamping members 12 and slightly beyond the shoulders 32 on the jaws 13. In this position the sections v18 are disposed on opposite sides of the stem 21 with edges thereof in engagement with said stem. A slight quick pull is now exerted upon the handle 10 in order to bring the sections 18 in centered relation with respect to the stem. As this pull is exerted the edges of the sections contacting said stem will ride over the circular surface thereof and at the same time the springs 15 will exert pressure upon the clamping members 12 to force the jaws.13 toward 'each other. After a`v slightr inward movement of these jaws, the ,shoulders 32 will engage the' outer end of the plunger V25, as shown in Figure 5, and prevent said plunger,

1,se1,97e

under the influence of the spring 28, from moving outwardly relative to said jaws. Finally the sections 18, under the influence of the inward movement of the jaws 13 toward each other, will be brought into embracing relation (Figure 5) with respect to the stem 21 and the key will now be in position to receive the retainer 19 thereon. The implement 24 is now actuated in the usual manner to lower the-retainer19 and, after the key has at least partially entered the recess 22 in said retainer, the lower end of the implement will now engage upon the upper surface of the handle 1() and force the tool downwardlyto disengage the jaws 13 from the key. The retainer 19 will then be securely seated upon said key under the influence ofthe spring 2.3 and the implement 24 is now withdrawn, leaving the valve stem and its associated parts in their operative positions.

v What is claimed is:

1. A tool of the character described, comprising cooperating jaws upon which sections of a split key are capable of being supported in opposed relation, means to vmaintain said jaws and sections separated while adjusting the latter to positions on opposite sides of a valvestem, said means being movable out lof engagement with said sections to allow the same to embrace said stem, and means to prevent engagement of the lastnamed means with said. sections when the-latter are in stem-embracing position.'

2. A tool of the character described, comprising cooperationg jaws upon which sections 'of a split key are capable of being supported in opposed relation'and adjusted to embracing position relative to a valve stem, means between said jaws engageable with and movable relative to said sections'to maintain tuated by pressure thereof against said valve stem to disengage from said sections and thereby allow the same to embrace said stem, and means to hold said plunger out of engagement with said sections after the latter are in stem-embracing position.

4. A tool of the character described, comprisinga handle, cooperating jaws pivoted on said handle and having means to support sections of a split key in opposed lrelation` a plunger slidable on said handle and `engageable with said sections to maintain the same separated while they are being adjusted to positions on opposite sides of a valve stem, said plunger being movable out of Contact with said sections to allow the latter to embrace said stem, and means on said jaws to prevent engagement of said plunger with said sections while the latter are in stem-embracing position.

5. A tool of the character described, comm prising a handle having a guide slot therein, clamping members including cooperating jaws pivoted on said handle and having means to support sections of a split key in opposed relation, a plunger slidable on said handle between said clamping members and having means engaging in said slot to guide said plunger, a spring engaging said plunger to urge the same to a position between said jaws and in contact with key sections supported thereon, said plunger being movable to a retracted position out of engagement with said sections by pressure of the plunger Y against a valve stem, means engaging said clamping members for moving said sections into embracing relation to said stem when said plunger is retracted, and means on said jaws to prevent engagement of said rplunger with said sections while the latter are in stem-embracing position. In testimony whereof, we have aixed our signatures.

JOHN H. MINDERMANN. FRANK HOBLER. 

